During the Boer War, three Australian lieutenants are on trial for shooting Boer prisoners. Though they acted under orders, they are being used as scapegoats by the General Staff, who hopes to distance themselves from the irregular practices of the war. The trial does not progress as smoothly as expected by the General Staff, as the defence puts up a strong fight in the courtroom.
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Three Australian lieutenants are court martialed for executing prisoners as a way of deflecting attention from war crimes committed by their superior officers.I believe this is based on a true story, which makes it all the better. What we have is a classic tale of responsibility and leadership. Do soldiers have a responsibility to protect their leaders, even when the leaders are in the wrong and it could mean their death? This happens from time to time, and a recent example (as of 2015) are the incidents at Abu Ghraib. Should one be punished or following orders? And should those giving orders be held at fault? If yes, how far up the chain? Some of this, in different ways, goes back to the Nuremberg trials, and much earlier. The military and war do not work on the same principles as civilian life and the actions we take in our communities.
Awesome movie here that teaches as well as entertains. In this case, it's the Boer war, which I didn't know (or care) much about. This movie is pretty much the tale of a court martial of 3 Australian soldiers on trial for killing prisoners of war and a missionary. Much of it can be applied to today, as we question how much openness can we interpret the rules of war? Although shot simply (the court martial set-up is just a few tables and a simple witness chair), the court scenes are quite done masterfully. The old acting war-horse Jack Thompson (though not really old here!) plays the the defence counsel quite brilliantly, showcasing a status switch (an improv term!) that is really quite jarringly effective. I'd heard of Breaker Morant for years, almost close to when it came out, and just watching it now makes me sad somewhat that I had neglected to see it all this time, but then again, there's tons of movies like that, and you know what? That makes me excited.
Based on a real life incident of Australian soldiers charged with murder -- for political reasons- - during the Boer war. Echoes of Kubrick's "Paths of Glory", but the morality here is more gray. These men have indeed done awful things, but only as part of a war full of awful things. Thus, while your heart is with the protagonists, there are moments you question them almost as much as the Kangaroo court they face. The acting is excellent throughout, and what was originally a play has been opened up just enough so as not to feel it, without feeling forced. Some of the moral complexities could have been explored with more depth, and there is a slightly disturbing suggestion of making "I was just following orders" a viable defense for war atrocities, but I'd much rather question an intelligent, challenging picture"s point of view, then not be challenged at all.
Reviewers have compared Breaker Morant with Paths of Glory, The Caine Mutiny and A Few Good Men, all involving courts martial. Suppressing my dislike of Kubrick, ignoring the naval jingoism spliced into The Caine Mutiny, and erasing the last 5 minutes of A Few Good Men, these weren't bad films. They were interesting, well-performed, raised provocative issues and all that. Breaker Morant, however, is everything those three are not. It's not in a different league, it's in a different dimension, stratospheric. It is real, as Woodward points out in his interview. It's visceral, gritty, organic, flawless. There's no Hollywood gloss, no pandering to the public, or vested interests. The other three movies are mechanical artefacts; you can see the machinery. Morant is dramatic art, at the topmost level. The editing is superb, the variation in scene after scene, close-ups, long-shots, is utterly masterful. Again, the dialogue, the sardonic humour, the tragedy, the irony, are all real. These men are rough and ready, in crumpled uniforms, truly in the field, on active service. There's no staging –-- well, there is, of course, it's a film --- but it just feels dead right, every time. It's not fancy. I'm reminded of what my boot camp drill sergeant told me, in 1956. This was a man who'd been busted two or three times, and who'd seen WWII in a British tank regiment, in the desert from Tobruk to Alamein. He told the rookie squad that the finest bunch of men he'd ever known were the Ozzies, and I've never forgotten that verdict. Anyone who gives this fabulous masterpiece less than ten stars needs his/her head examined.
